Chicago Public Schools 'disinvesting' in Emmet School, say advocates

Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 10:00 PM

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Land misuse: (At left) Latoya Pernell, Emmet's LSC chairperson, and Latrice Pernell, No Child Left Behind Parent Advisory Council chairperson use a tree branch to measure the depth of one of two large potholes at Emmet School, 5500 W. Madison.Photos by DWAYNE TRUSS/Contributor

The Local School Council members of the Austin neighborhood want to alert the community about what they say is CPS' plans to disinvest in one of their schools.

The LSC hosted a press conference March 16 at Robert Emmet Elementary School, 5500 W. Madison "to educate parents, educators, community stakeholders and elected officials about the Chicago Public Schools disinvestment in Robert Emmet School," according to the group's press release.

According to community activist Dwayne Truss, Emmet "is in need of both capital and human investment. The students are served lunch in the hallway and eat their lunches in the same section of the building used for physical education and assembly. The playground is marked with dangerous potholes. The field house is decaying and is a danger to both the students and parents. CPS also cut the schools' librarian before the current school year."

The LSC argues that Emmet has high test scores on state standardized tests, yet its students have a substandard physical environment. The school has a nearly 100 percent black student enrollment. The LSC charges that CPS is investing millions of dollars in other schools while neglecting those in Austin who need similar funding.

"Why are successful neighborhood schools like Emmet, operating on limited resources, continued to be ignored by CPS?" Truss asks.